Karnataka Minister HY Meti Resigns After Sex Tape Surfaces, Denies Any Wrongdoing

Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister HY Meti, entangled in an alleged sex scandal, resigned today saying he wanted to save his government embarrassment but denying that he had done anything wrong.

Mr Meti resigned soon after a video emerged allegedly of him with a woman who had come to him for help a few days ago.

The video was made public by Right to Information (RTI) activist Rajashekar Mulali who alleges that he was threatened by the supporters of Mr Meti, the state Excise Minister.

Mr Meti's resignation was accepted quickly by the Congress government, which was deeply embarrassed last month after another minister, Tanveer Sait, was caught on camera scrolling through explicit photos on his phone during a function to mark the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan.

"HY Meti has resigned voluntarily. So we have accepted his resignation and recommended it to the governor. Meti is claiming that it is a conspiracy, therefore I have given this to the CID (Criminal Investigation Department)," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters.

Mr Meti, 71, has dismissed the tape and the allegation as concocted. "...All the reports that are coming on TV channels are false. I don't know who that RTI activist is, I only saw him on TV today," he had said earlier.

Asked whether he knew who was behind the CD, he commented, "I don't have any enemies."

A woman who came out last week claiming she was with the minister in the video has given contradictory statements.

The day after she owned up to the video, she told reporters that she was forced to make the statement and that she was not in a relationship with Mr Meti.

Amid questions directed at her, the woman checked into a hospital for stomach ache and has not spoken to the media since.